ABSTRACT
Narcolepsy is the most common cause of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) following obstructive sleep apnea. Its treatment aims to reduce EDS and cataplexy, improve nighttime sleep disturbance, sleep paralysis and sleep-related hallucinations. Pitolisant (a histamine H3 receptor antagonist) and solriamfetol (a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) have recently been approved effective for narcolepsy in the United States and the European Union. Pitolisant has proved to be effective for both EDS and cataplexy. Besides being effective on EDS, solriamfetol seems to have advantages in abuse potential and withdrawal syndrome. As potential treatments for EDS and cataplexy associated with narcolepsy, several new drugs are being developed and tested. These new drugs include new hydroxybutyrate preparations (controlled release sodium hydroxybutyrate FT218, low sodium hydroxybutyrate JZP-258), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (AXS-12), and modafinil combined with astroglial junction protein inhibitor (THN102). This paper reviews the recently approved drugs and potential treatments for narcolepsy.